By Magenta Kate Edwards
I like human beings and trees. Always have. I like euphoria too… the 3 merged together are an instant recipe for success. Beatherder 2013 was that cake. A bonkers and brilliant display of how to do a proper British summertime weekend.
A quirky, spell binding iridescent muddle of mayhem beautifully set bequeath a plush velveteen tapestry, woodlands subtly lit by lanterns and fizzing oversized light bulbs, a feast for the eyes, for the ears!
Booka Shade richly pummelling though the hazy heavy Friday night heat of hundreds of herders was sublime. Those wide grins and nods exchanged with reciprocation and appreciation of the immensity of such deep groove sounds. Then! Hark! Sicknote in Maison d’etrte… What an invasion! They are preposterous. Preposterously excellently punky bizarre eerily odd. Bodies clambering fanatically to such twisted turbulence. You felt creepy as though the pink panther soundtrack to be nobbling to your bones. Wonderful! Finally the Ferris wheel the perfect spiral into a snoozy state…
How excellent it is to brunch on red wine and Tibetan momos whilst Harry j all stars Liquidator sloops down the ear tubes in Saturday morning sunshine!
Adventure awaits! We played crazy croquet and very strange golf in the healing fields before bouncing around like drunken lords to the Dub Smugglers in Trailer Trash, then onward for some very dodgy dodgem caring and carousel camaraderie until excited pitter pattering up the smudgy plasticine pathway to Toil Trees for a dewy dancey stomp to Stanton Warriors then Edu Imbernon: A delightfully mesmerising soiree of eccentricity and good vibes.
A good few hours of Sunday sat spent smugly in the back soft seat of a Austin Allegro as bronzed skimpy girlies jived on the roof of the car clutching icy pear cider in clammy hands to 1950’s swing expertly confused with heavy vinyl dub being mixed from the sunken cockpit of a shiny black Morris Miner… people watching was a gorgeous array of springy stepping tweeds and pagan style capes and hot pants and sparkly bikini tops – the consistent beating sunshine shone brilliantly through the leaves of the tall trees, setting an enchanting and magical backdrop to what I would describe of an almost perfect Sunday… my only irked niggle to be the late Sunday afternoon line up of the Beatherder stage, it just wasn’t smooth enough, some Little Dragon would have been absolutely ideal: instead Dizraeli & the Small Gods grated through some tedious and inane set, with far too much yapping in between drab song. Prince Fatty and Jimmy Cliff did however manage to turn this around & so saved the day as Tibetan Kitchen won the rights to the last of my muddy pound coins washed down with a final warm Magners…
Beatherder is a must attend – exit and entrance was swift with friendly smiling staff and just the right amount of camping space to jig jag your shelter: food and drinks were reasonably priced and the parties go on until sunrise – what’s not to love?